MADINAH, 19 November 2006 — Pilgrims and motorists using the Makkah-Madinah highway have expressed concern at the absence of ATM machines on the road with many cash-strapped motorists being forced to sell their expensive jewelry and watches for scruples to buy gas and food at service stations, according to Al-Madinah newspaper.
Across a 370-kilometer stretch of road there are no ATM machines and now people are calling on the authorities to find a fast solution to the problem by installing ATMs before the Haj season kicks off. According to some motorists, under the present circumstances a rich man could potentially become poor if he does not have cash to pay for gas or fix his car.
“Many pilgrims have serious problems on this road,” said one pilgrim. “A relative of mine had to replace two of his tires. The total cost was SR960 and he only had a fraction of the amount. He asked the mechanic for directions to an ATM machine and was told the nearest one was 110 kilometers away.”
He added, “He was forced to pawn some jewelry that was more in value than the price of the wheels to the puncture shop owner who said if he didn’t receive his money within a week, he would sell the jewelry.”
Jali Al-Silami said that the Al-Hijrah Road lacks all sorts of amenities including ATM machines. “Come on, you need an ATM machine on the road. It is a popular road and you never know when an emergency could arise,” he said.
Abdul Aziz Al-Mazroui said that our bank balance reaches zero when we travel through Al-Hijrah Road, which could force us to ask for loans from strangers or lead us to pawn valuables. “Many people simply forget to pass by an ATM before traveling through highways and they end up having a big problem,” he said.
Ahmad Al-Ghamdi said that he was driving with his family through the Al-Hijrah Road when he suffered a puncture and then remembered that he had forgotten to withdraw some emergency cash. “I had to check my family for money and thank God I just about managed to get enough for the tire together. Then I continued the journey with my hand over my heart praying to Allah that we safely reach our destination,” he said.
He noted that since the need is huge, the government should install ATM machines on key points along the highway.
